SRSG Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert conducts first “digital dialogue” with Iraqi voters

13 September 2021 – For the first time, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, held a live “digital dialogue” with voters across Iraq to hear about their hopes and concerns; the changes and challenges in their communities; and what they expect from the candidates ahead of Iraq’s 10 October elections.

Interacting with the participants in real time, Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert urged them to vote on 10 October. She noted that no elections anywhere would bring about immediate miracles. Nevertheless, the upcoming elections were a necessary and very first step on a very long road.

Explaining the UN’s role, she noted that it was not organizing or supervising these elections, as they were Iraqi-owned and Iraqi-led. However, the UN was monitoring, reporting on, and providing technical assistance to these elections – with a much bigger team on the ground when compared to Iraq’s previous election in 2018. She also outlined Iraq’s new electoral system, noting differences between the upcoming elections and the previous ones.